Kiss it All Better
by Xelbie
Summary: Post-Neverland AU: Emma gives Killian one last strong push towards something he's always had trouble doing; moving on. [Captain Swan]


**Kiss it All Better**

A loud crack sounded in the sky. Someone was yelling her name. Everything happened so quickly that she didn't even feel the pain that had exploded in her chest until her body slowly started falling towards the ground. Realization of the situation didn't hit her until after she fell into Killian's arms.

Someone had shot her.

Or rather, someone _almost_ shot Killian, and she couldn't have let that happen. There had been such a simple solution and she took it. Emma saw the gunman first. After all, it was hard to miss a man walking with a gold-tipped cane. At first, she couldn't believe her eyes. Even now, after everything that happened in Neverland, Rumplestiltskin still had a death wish on Killian Jones.

Emma and Killian had been walking along the beach together, talking, just happy to be in one another's company. Light words and casual chuckles were being exchanged when she spotted her son's grandfather. Her eyes had followed the barrel of the gun as it rose slightly. Rumplestiltskin was a good long distance away from the pair, hiding in the shadows of the night, but despite this, she could still tell what direction the gun was pointing, and it was locked directly on her pirate.

It was then that she had to make a simple and quick decision. Time seemed to slow immensely, as if wanting to make sure she was given plenty of time when choosing between her life and Killian's. However, it didn't take her long to get from the captain's side, to the front of his chest, protecting him. Then, the bullet came a mere half-second later. One second she was fine, the next, she found herself sinking into the captain's arms as the pain in the center of her chest started to spread.

The bitter, metallic smell of blood began to fill the air around them as red now littered the sand beneath them. Emma couldn't see it, but she knew that she was the source of the bleed. She could feel her warm blood seeping out of the small, but fatal hole in her top of her torso, staining her white blouse a deep shade of crimson. From the focal point of the gunshot wound, a large, circular shape had already started to infect the white fabric of her shirt, blossoming quickly into a sickening, dark maroon color.

And damn, that bullet must have done its work, because she suddenly felt extremely tired. It was becoming harder to breathe and her head was spinning. It was a nice, warm evening out, but she couldn't stop shivering, a sign that the shock was setting in fast.

"No, no, no…!" Killian's words drifted into her ears. She could see his face. He seemed so focused on her, yet his face swam in her vision, making it difficult to see those vibrant blue eyes that she always loved. "Swan? _Emma_?" He was calling to her desperately, yet his voice was like a melody to her, barely fazing her in her dazed state. The only way anyone would have been able to tell that she was still alive was by her slow-blinking eyes, her small gasps for air, and the shaky, slow rise of her chest.

However, what broke Emma out of her trance was when she saw the look of pure hatred sweep over the features she had come to love so much.

Killian was seething, looking the angriest he had ever been. His eyebrows were narrowed, his jaw was clenched, and eye carried a glare so strong, it could kill. After decades of practice, he spat the name out of his mouth, "_Rumplestiltskin_!"

Emma's eyes traveled over to where Killian's focus was. There, the Dark One stood still, his eyes wide in genuine shock and his mouth hung slightly agape. From her spot on the ground, she could still see the fear and regret in his eyes as he stumbled backwards slowly. The gun tumbled out of his hand, falling to the sand, making an inaudible noise. The man then fled the scene quickly, hobbling away hurriedly.

"You bloody _coward_!" Killian screeched as he was ready to launch himself after the older man. However, the look in his eyes was too murderous for her. It wasn't Killian she was looking at, but someone she hadn't seen in a long time.

Hook.

She wasn't about to let her love waste another minute on something like revenge. No, he was better than that, he just needed help realizing it. Emma didn't want her last minutes to be spent watching her lover tear himself away from his true self again. She wasn't going to leave him in the middle of the road to self-destruction. Hook nearly rose, ready to bolt after Rumplestiltskin, to make him pay for what he had done, but she had caught his arm, keeping a firm grip on him despite her dwindling strength. "Don't," was all she could rasp out, but it was enough to gain his attention.

Sorrow and distraught now mingled in his eyes. "Don't worry, love," his voice was filed with desperation. Killian cradled her body with his crippled arm, while he used his good hand to press gently on her wound, trying to staunch the blood flow. "I'm going to get you to help. What's the bugger's name? Whale? He'll patch you up like he did to me. Then, I'll find Rumplestiltskin; he won't get away with this."

"Killian…" Emma placed a hand over his. "Stop," she said firmly. The warmth of his hand felt so comforting on her cold skin. She gripped it even tighter as she spoke to him softly, "You can't go after Gold… And I'm not going to make it."

The look of hurt and denial flashed along his features, "No, everything's going to be fine. We can get the Queen to heal you."

"You know that Regina and Gold gave up their magic when we left Neverland. Killian… P-Please, just let me say this, it's getting harder to breathe," she wheezed. "There's blood in my lung, you wouldn't even make it in time."

The pirate cursed to himself, "Gods, Emma, I am so sorry that I wasn't able to-," his voice broke, but Emma shushed him.

"This isn't your fault, Killian; I jumped in the way of that bullet. And I'm damn glad I did," the blonde gave him a sad smile. A fit of coughs rattled her and a small amount of blood had started to trickle out of the side of her mouth. "I-I want you to do two things for me. One, don't go after Gold," She was trying to keep her voice strong, but she couldn't help the feeble shake her voice had taken on.

Everything was getting colder now.

"Emma, that man is the reason that-."

"You spent three-hundred years trying to kill that man. You were suffering, in pain, for three centuries," she said quietly. "I don't want to be the cause of anymore. And if you don't do this for me, do it for Henry, or Neal-."

He said in a low rumble, almost a growl, "I will do anything for _you_."

A small smile spread across her face and she let her eyes flutter closed, "Then, the last thing I want you to do… Stay with me until I fall asleep."

Emma heard him choke, and she was glad she had her eyes shut. She could never stand to see him in so much pain. His voice was broken and somber, "_I'm so sorry…"_

"Shut up, Jones," she said lightly, her voice weak. Emma felt Killian embrace her and his warmth wrapped around her like a cocoon. He rocked her gently as small, quiet sobs slowly shook him. The pain in her chest had gone away; she was already too numb to feel it.

A stray tear escaped the side of her eye. She was going to miss everyone. She was going to miss him. Emma whispered, "I love you, Killian Jones."

"And I love you, Emma Swan," his voice was strong, but nothing could hide the small tremors that hid beneath in his undertone. However, she found that everything, his touch, his breath, were all fading quickly. Everything around her was becoming dull, quieter, and softer.

One thing she does feel is his lips scattering kisses on her face. They were quick, almost frantic, one would be on her cheek, and the next would be on her forehead and so on. He continued to do this while damp, but warm droplets of what Emma knew to be his tears had found a place on her chilling skin.

_Twenty eight_.

He had kissed her twenty eight times in the past minute, and she knew he would probably continue to do so even after she was gone. Emma found comfort and sorrow in the fact that the last thing she remembered was her lover desperately trying to kiss it all better.

* * *

**[A/N]: **_Hello. I wrote angst, sorry! Uh, so this is post-neverland, but they're not married. Yeah, so this is based off the song, Kiss it All Better, hence the title. Hope you liked it ~ _Sam


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